Automatic radio station selector



Oct. 26, 1943. A. WAGNER 2,332,767

AUTOMATIC RADIO STATION SELECTOR Filed Feb. 18, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 j Ayred Fi ty/w)" IN VEN TOR.

ATI'D R N EYE Oct. 26, 1943. A. WAGNER 2,332,767

AUTOMATIC RADIO STATION SELECTOR Filed Feb. 18, 1942' 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ayr'ed Wzzyrzer IN VEN TOR.

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ATI'DRNIVI A. WAGNER AUTOMATIC RADIO STATION SELECTOR Oct. 26, 1943.

Filed Feb. 18, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 AZ red FVZZ new %WENT0R.

ATTO R N KYI Oct. 26, 1943. A. WAGNER AUTOMATIC RADIO STATION SELECTOR Filed Feb. 18, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 1/ IN VEN TOR.

A] red Way/a v Patented Oct. 26, 1943 AUTOMATIC RADIO STATION SELECTOR Alfred Wagner, Captain Cook, Territory of Hawaii Application February 18, 1942, Serial No. 431,427

6 Claims.

My invention relates generally to radio receiving sets, and has among it objects and advantages the provision of an improved automatic radio receiver control for tuning the receiver on or off, and tuning in and out a plurality of radio stations consecutively, with all operations predetermined and carried out by a timing mechanism in fifteen minute periods in conjunction with selector switches. While the control includes an electric circuit, the system is so designed that at no time is the circuit energized except at those times when the receiver is being turned on or off and when changing stations.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a face View of the control panel;

Figure 2 is an elevational view of a selected switch structure;

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a view taken along the line 4--4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a view taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 3; v

Figure 6 is a view taken along the line 6-6 of Figure 3;

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken along the line -'I-'I of Figure 4;

Figure 8 is a sectional View line 8-8 of Figure 4; and

Figure 9 is a diagrammatic view of the electric' circuit in conjunction with solenoids for operating the push buttons of the receiver.

In the embodiments selected for illustration, I make use of a facepanel I6, a rear wall I2 and an intermediate wall I4. The panel I6 and the walls I2 and I4 are of insulative material. An electric clock I8 is secured to the panel I6 by screws 26, and the panel is provided with an opening 22 for exposing the clock face 24 having a lens 26 extending thereacross. The clock I8 is old andwell known and need not be described in'detail further.

In Figure 1, time set indicators 28, 36, 32, 34 and 36 are mounted on the panel I6. Each time set indicator 28 through 36 includes a clock face 38, a minute hand 46 and an hour hand 42. Knobs 44, 46, 48, 56' and 52 are provided for respectively adjusting the time set indicator 26 through 36.

The clock I8 includes the usual second hand 54, minute hand 56 and hour hand 58 respectively connected with shafts 66, 62 and 64. Shafts 62 and 64 are tubular, with the shaft 66 rotatable inside the shaft 62 and the latter rotatable inside the shaft 64. Thus the shaft 66 makes one revolution per minute, the shaft 62 one revolution per hour and the shaft 64 one revolution in twelve hours A bearing sleeve 66 is provided in the wall I4 for rotatably supporting the shaft 62.

.Mounte'd in one side of the wall I4 are two col-- lector rings 68 and I6. Upon the opposite face of taken along the the wall I4 is mounted a collector ring I2. All the collector rings 68, I6 and I2 are concentrically positioned with respect to the axis of the bearing sleeve 66. Four rivets or conductors l4 secure the collector ring I2 to the wall I4 and pass through the wall to provide contacts I6 terminating flush with the wall I4. Contacts I6 are spaced apart and are arranged concentrically about the axis of the bearing sleeve 66. The collector ring I2 is provided with a contact 78 lying fiush with the adjacent face of the wall I4 and is engageable by a contact 86 at one end of an arm 82 having its other end secured to the shaft 66. The arm 82 makes one revolution per minute, and the contact I8 is relatively short, as illustrated in Figure 4. In Figures 4 and 8, the contact 86 is split at its non-engaging end for the reception of a flexible conductor 84 having one end connected with a pin 86 attached to the arm 82 and its other end arranged to engage a pin 88 extending through the wall I4 and threaded into the collector ring I6. The flexible conductor 84 electrically connects the contact 86 with the pin 68 once during each revolution of the arm 82, and the contact is flexed as it engages the pin while the contact 86 is in engagement with the contact I8 on the collector ring I2. This circuit is broken speedily as the flexible contact passes the pin. A condenser 96 is connected across the collector ring I2 and the contact 88 to dampen the arcing.

To the shaft '62 is secured an arm 92 which makes one revolution per hour. This arm is provided with brushes 94 and 96, the brush 94 engaging the collector ring 68 while th brush 66 successively engages the contacts 16. Since the arm 92 makes one revolution per hour, the brush 96 engages a different contact at each 15 minute interval. Brushes 94 and 96 are electrically bridged, as at 98in Figure 8.

One end of an arm I66 is fixedly secured to the shaft 64. To the opposite end of the arm I66 are secured brushes I62 and I64. The brush I62 is in engagement with the collector ring "I6 while the brush I66 is arranged to successively engage fortyeight terminals I66. The terminals I36 are equally spaced concentrically above the axis of the bearing sleeve 66. A bridge I68 electrically connects the brushes I62 and I 64. Since the arm I66 makes one revolution in twelve hours, the brush I64 successively engages the terminals I66 at fifteen minute intervals. Accordingly, once during each fifteen minute interval, the brush 96 engages one contact I6 and the brush I64 engages one terminal I66 during engagement between the resilient contact 84 and the pin 68.

Forty-eight contacts H6 are mounted on the wall l2 flush with the face H2. Each contact 1 :6 has a right angular end I I4 extending through the Wall I2 and connected with a wire I16 lugged to one of the terminals I66. Figure 9 illustrates some of the wires I I6 respectively comiecting contacts I III with contacts I06. The remaining wires II6 have been omitted for the sake of clearness. Contacts IIO are arranged in radial formation concentrically about a shaft II3. To one end of the shaft I I8 is fixedly secured an arm I20 having one end selectively engageable with the contacts H and its other end engaging a contact I22 curved concentrically about the axis of the shaft II8. Arms I24, I26, I28, and I30 are also selectively engageable with the contacts H0 and respectively engage contacts I32, I34, I36 and I38, which contacts are also concentrically arranged about the axis of the shaft I I8 but of progressively smaller diameter. Arms I20, I24, I26, I28 and I30 are respectively of progressively shorter lengths, but the'contacts II0- are of sufiicient length to have engagement with all the arms. However, the arms I20, I24, I26, I28 and I30 can have engagement with their respective contacts I22, I32, I34, I36 and I38 only.

Arms I24 through I30 are respectively fixedly connected with sleeves I40, I42, I44 and I46. All the sleeves I40 through I46 and the shaft II8 are insulated one from the other, .as at I48. The sleeve I46 is rotatably supported me bearing sleeve I50 extending through the wall I2. To the shaft H8 and the sleeves I40 through I46 are respectively fixedly secured gears I52, I54, I56, I58 and I60. Gears I52 through I60 are also insulated apart one from the other.

The shaft H8 and the sleeves I40 through I46 may be independently rotated through rotation of the respective gears I52 through I60. Shafts I62, I64, I66, I and I12 are rotatably journalled in the walls I9, I2 and I4, these shafts being respectively connected with the knobs 44 through 52. Pinions I14 are secured to the shafts I62 through I12 for respective meshing engagement with the gears I52 through I60. Thus the gears may be rotated through manipulation of the knobs 44 through 52.

Time set indicators 28 through 36 are identical in construction and operation so that the description of one will apply to all. Figure 7 illustrates the specific construction of the time set indicator 36. A shaft I16 is rotatably journalled in the Walls I2 and I4 and is provided with a pinion I18 meshing with a gear I80 having a pinion I82 meshing with a gear I84 to which is fixedly secured the hour hand 42. Gear I84 is rotatably mounted on the extension I86 of the shaft I16, and the minute hand 40 is fixedly secured to the extension I86. Figure 7 illustrates the shaft I16 as being provided with a pinion I88 meshing with the gear I52. Thus rotation of the knob 52 turns the gear I52 and rotates the shaft I16 for actuating the minute and hour hands 40 and 42 respectively. In the same manner, rotation of the knob 46 turns the gear I54 for actuating the minute and hour hands of the time set indicator rotation of the knob 48 turns the gear I56 for imparting rotation to the hour and minute hands of the time set indicator 32; rotation of the knob 50 turns thegear I58 for imparting rotation to the hour and minute hands of the time set indicator 34; and rotation of the knob 52 turns the gear I60 for imparting rotation to the hour and minute hands of the time set indicator 36.

Selector switches I90, I92, I94, I96 and I98 are mounted on the panel I0, which selector switches are respectively provided with pointer knobs 200, 202, 204, 206 and 208, see Figure 1. Figure 9 illustrates the circuit arrangement of the selector switches I90 through I98. These switches vided with a series of contacts 230, 232, 234, 236,

238, 240and 242; The contacts 230 through 242 and the selector switches I90 through I98 are respectively electrically connected with the wires 244, 246, 248, 250, 252, 254 and 256. Wires 258, 260,

262, 264, 266 and 268 respectively connect the wires 244 through 254 with solenoids 210, 212, 214, 216, 218 and 280. These solenoids are respectively provided with push button actuating cores 282, 284,286, 288, 290 and 292.

The solenoids 210 through 280 are connected 1 with a wire 294 connected with a solenoid 296 of a radial off and on switch 298. Off and on switch 298 includes a second solenoid 330 having a wire 303 electrically connected with all the contacts 242 of the respective selector switches I through I98. Both solenoids 296 and 300 are electrically connected with a wire 302 connected with a source of current 304 having a wire 306 electrically connected with the collector ring 68.

The radio receiver 308 is turned off and on by the switch 298. This switch includes a bridge element 3I0 arranged to electrically connect contacts 3I2 when in the position of Figure 9. The bridge element 3I0 is connectedwith one end of a lever 3I4, and the bridge element is moved away from the contact 3I2 through the medium of a core 3I6 associated with the solenoid 300. When the radio receiver circuit is broken, current may again be supplied to the radio receiver circuit through energization of the solenoid 296, which brings its core 3I8 into engagement with the opposite end of the lever 3I4 for moving the bridge element 3I0 into engagement with the contacts 3I2. Solenoid 296 is connected in series with the solenoids 210 through 280.

Each selector switch I90 through I98 has its contacts 230 through 240 electrically connected with. the solenoids 210 through 280, respectively.

The knobs 44 through 52 are respectively operatively connected with the time set indicators 28 through 36, while the pointer knobs 200 through 208 are respectively associated with the knobs 44 through 52. Thus the pointer knobs 200 through 208 are operatively associated with the respective time set indicators 28 through 36 so that the respective pointer knobs may be set in accordance to selected time intervals. A dial face 320 is provided for each of the pointer knobs 268 through 208, each dial face including six positions respectively numbered one through six in accordance with the six solenoids 210 through 280. Each dial face 320 is also provided with an off position 322. Pointer knobs adjusted to the positions 322 brin their respective switch elements 2I0 through 2I6 of Figure 9 into engagement with the contacts 242, under which conditions the solenoid 300 is energized at predetermined fifteen minute intervals for moving the bridge element 3I0 out of engagement with the contact 3I2. Each dial 320 also includes an out of service position 324.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the brushes I02 and I94 carried by the arm I00 electrically connect the collector ring 10 with one terminal I06 at each fifteen minute interval. This is also true with respect to the brushes 94 and 96 and the collector ring-68 and the four contacts 14, these contacts being electrically connected with the collector ring 12, the latter be ing momentarily electrically connected with the collector ring 10 by reason of the resilient conductor 84 and the end 88.

Movement of any one of the arms I20 through I30 from one contact H to the next adjacent contact H0 represents a time interval of fifteen minutes. Thus the arms I20 through I30 may be preset through manipulation of the respective knobs 44 through 52 which, in turn, indicate the respective time intervals of such setting by reason of the time setting indicators 28 through 36, respectively.

Figure 1 illustrates the time set indicators 28 through 36 as respectively reading 3, 4:30, 5, '7 and 8:30 o'clock. Under such settings, the arms I20 through I30 are respectively positioned in accordance with Figure 2, the uppermost contact I I0 representing 12 oolock.

Each of the knobs 200 through 208 may be set to energize any one of the six solenoids 210 through 280. In Figure 9, the switch element 2 I U engages the contact 320 of the selector switch I90, which closes the circuit through the solenoid 210 at the hour to which the time set indicator 28 may be adjusted. Since the solenoid 296 is in series with all the solenoids 210 through 280 energization of the respective solenoids 210 through 280 causes energization of the solenoid 296, so that the switch 298 will always be moved to a closed position whenever any one of the solenoids 21.0 through 280 is energized. The switch element 2l2 of the selector switch I92 is in engagement with its terminal 242 so that the circuit will be closed through the solenoid 300 at the end of the fifteen minute interval for movin the switch 298 to its open position. Thus the push buttons (not shown) of the radio receiver may be automatically actuated at predetermined fifteen minute intervals. Such push buttons are old and well known in the art.

Without further elaboration, the foregoing will so fully illustrate my invention, that others may, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt the same for use under various conditions of service.

I claim:

1. An apparatus of the character described comprising a plurality of station selecting solenoids; a plurality of selector switches each having first contacts respectively electrically connected with said station selecting solenoids and a movable switch element selectively engageable with all the contacts in its respective selector switch; second contacts respectively electrically connected with said switch elements; companion contacts; rotary conductor arms each continuously engageable with one of said second contacts and selectively engageable with said companion contacts; terminals each electrically connected with one of said companion contacts; first, second and third collector rings; third and fourth contacts electrically connected with said second collector ring; a fifth contact electrically connected with said third collector ring; first, second and third clock rotated shafts; a first arm secured to said first shaft having a sixth contact engaging said fourth contact at predetermined intervals and having a conductor element concurrently engageable with said fifth contact; a second arm fixed to said second shaft provided with bridged seventh and eighth contacts, said seventh contact continuously engaging said first collector ring and said eighth contact successively engaging said terminals at predetermined time intervals and at moments when said conductor element is in engagement with said fifth contact; a third arm fixed to said third shaft provided with bridged ninth and tenth contacts, said ninth contact continuously engaging said third collector ring and said tenth contact successively engaging said terminals concurrently with engagement between said eighth and successive third contacts; and an electrical connection between said first collector ring and the respective station selecting solenoids to energize the respective solenoids in accordance with the positions of said switch elements with respect to said first contacts.

2. The invention described in claim 1 wherein time set indicators are provided, an adjusting means for each of said rotary conductor arms, and an operating connection between each adjusting means and one of said time set indicators to actuate the latter for indicating the time position of its respective rotary conductor arm.

3. The invention described in claim 1 wherein each selector switch is provided with an off contact engageable by the switch element thereof, a radio receiver circuit control switch having a first solenoid connected in series with said station selecting solenoids and a second solenoid electrically connected with said first collector ring and with the respective switch elements, said radio receiver circuit control switch including contacts and a movable bridge element for electrically connecting the contacts to close the circuit through the radio receiver, and means actuated by said first and second solenoids to move said bridge element into engagement with said last-mentioned contacts when any one of said station selecting solenoids is energized and for moving the bridging element away from the contacts at a predetermined time interval when one of said switch elements is in engagement with its respective off contact.

4. The invention described in claim 1 wherein time set indicators are provided, gear means connected with the respective conductor arms for adjusting the latter relatively to said companion contacts, and geared connections between the respective gear means and the time set indicators for adjusting the latter to indicate the respective time positions of the conductor arms.

5. The invention described in claim 1 wherein said conductor arms are mounted for rotation about a common axis, said companion contacts being arranged in curved alignment about said common axis and said second contacts curving about said common axis, said second contacts being spaced radially with respect to said common axis and said conductor arms being progressively variable lengths to engage their respective second contacts, said companion contacts being of sufficient radial lengths to be engageable by all the conductor arms, time set indicators, adjusting means for the respective conductor arms, and operating connections between the respective adjusting means and the time set indicators to move the latter for indicating the time positions of their respective conductor arms.

6. The invention described in claim 1 wherein there are provided four third contacts with said second arm making one revolution per hour, said companion contacts and said terminals, each comprising forty-eight in number, said third arm making one revolution in twelve hours, and said first arm making one revolution per minute.

ALFRED WAGNER. 

